The Rajasthan Forest Department dramatically rescued a wild tigress T-83 on Monday near the Ranthambore National Park.
The T-83 from Ranthambore, popularly called the ‘Lightning’, fell into an open well on Monday morning in Khawa village in Rajasthan, just a km from the Ranthambore National Park.
The villagers immediately informed the forest officials, who in turn, reached the area in no time. The police and the people from the NGO Tiger Watch also reached the spot.
In a tough and a dramatic mission and with the support of the villagers, the tigress was rescued by around 9.30 in the morning.
A rope, net, cage and other equipment required for the rescue was provided by the NGO Tiger Watch. The forest officials made a forest guard go down the well and tranquilize the T-83 tigress. She was then brought up and sent to the Ranthambore National Park.
The forest guard going in the well; Photo: Facebook post by Shashank Saraswat
The mission, however, was not free from hurdles.
It was reported that within minutes of the starting of the rescue mission, the crowd started gathering around the well. And in no time, the well was surrounded by so many tourists who were running around to just videotape or photograph the whole mission that it made it difficult for the officials and villagers to carry out the rescue mission.
The crowd kept swelling around the well; Photo: Facebook post by Shashank Saraswat
The police said that the crowd became unmanageable and that they might take action against buses and hotels who told the tourists about the mission and brought them to the spot.
The Ranthambore park seems to be running short of space and probably the T-83 is finding it difficult to adjust. Some reports suggest that the forest department will be shifting the tigress soon to a new area of the Ranthambore National Park.
Watch the video here: